Pocket-billiard or pool table appliance.



A. F. WHEELER.

POCKET BILLIARD 0R POOL TABLE APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-24, I9I6- Patented 00$. 3, 1916 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.IlLU l I I I'll zrzns can Prwmumo WASHING 11m. n, cy

A. F. WHEELER. POCKET BILLIARD 0R POOL TABLE APPLIANCE.

Patented )ct. 3,1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2 APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. E916.

.. WAsHlNuroN. a. c.

A. F. WHEELER. POCKET BILLIARD 0R PO0L TABLE APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 24,1916- Patented Oct; 3, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

ALBERT FAYEL WHEELER, OLE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

POCKET-BILLIARD OR POOL TABLE APPLIANCE.

Application filed March 24, 1916.

1 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT FAYEL WVHEELER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county ofJackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain newv and usefulImprovements in Pocket-Billiard or Pool Table Appliances, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to pool or billiard ball racks particularlyadapted to be applied directly to pool or billiard tables forautomatically collecting and selectively racking the balls as the latterare shot into the pockets of the table.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of the nature statedwhich may be easily and readily applied to existing pool and pocketbilliard tables Without any change in the structure of the tables andwithout the necessity of employing an expert mechanic to perform thetask.

Another object resides in the provision of a rack of the nature statedembodying among other characteristics structural features whereby theballs may be directed selectively onto different shelves and retainedtemporarily thereon, I or passed entirely through the appliance duringthe progress of the game. L I 1 Another object is to provide a rack ofthe character stated wherein each player may select one of a pluralityof shelves on which the balls shot into the pockets may be collected andretained during the progress of the game, so that at the end or duringthe game, by reference to the shelf of each player, the number of ballsmade by each player may be easily and readily determined, or theaggregate numbers of the balls calculated, the structure being suchthat, while the balls are not liable to roll ofi' of the shelves, one ormore balls may be readily shelves having communication atone of theirends with a passageway and at their opposite ends having dischargeopenings, with means constructed and arranged to divert a ball or ballsfrom the passageway onto the various shelves interchangeably andSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

Serial No. 86,435.

from which shelves they may be discharged separately or simultaneouslythrough the instrumentality of gates which may be actuated separately ortogether.

A still further object resides in the provision of an appliance of'thenature stated, embodying among other characteristics, a plurality ofshelves adapted to receive and retain balls temporarily, the applianceincluding a guide-way which is normally maintained closed, and apassageway interposed between the guide-way and theplurality of shelves,with means disposed in the path of the guide-way for manipulation torelease simultaneously balls from. the guideway and permit them to enterthe passageway and be diverted from the passageway onto the shelvesinterchangeably.

With the above and other objects in View, the present invention consistsin the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes maybe made in the form, size, proportion and minor details withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

In'the drawings :Figure l is a perspective View of my inventionillustrated as applied to a pocket billiard or pool table. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal sectional view through my improved rack.- Fig. 3is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a vertical transversesectional view on the line w-w of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view similar toFig. 4 taken on the line 1 g of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view ofone of the slides operable for projection into and out of the passagebetween the guide-way and the shelves designed to divert balls from thepassage-way onto one of theracking shelves.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, thereference character A indicates a pocket billiard or pool table of anywell known or improved, variety, provided with pockets 10 which havecommunication with a run-way 11 usually provided for the purpose ofleading the balls 12 to one end of the table, and the present inventionis designed to be substituted for the contrivance generally used at theouter end of the run-way for collecting the balls.

To the above end the reference character B indicates the casing of myimproved rack provided with sides 12 and 13, and which is open at itsfront and at its rear. This casing may be composed any suitable materialand it may be secured to the table A in any suitable manner. A verticalpartition 14 is arranged within the casing adjacent the front thereofextendin from side to side 1 J t) of the casing. This partition isprovided adjacent the side 12 of the casing with alining vertical. slots15, 16, 17 and 18 and adjacent the side 13 of the casing the partition14 is provided with a plurality of vertically alining horizontal slots19, 20 and 21. These slots are provided for a purpose presentlyexplained.

A horizontally disposed shelf 22 is connected to the sides of the casingA near the bottom of the latter between the front edge of the casing andthe aforesaid vertical Jartition 14. A horizontal partition 23 isarranged in the upper portion of the casing and supported between thesides of the lat ter directly over the top of the vertical partition 14.On this horizontal partition 23 are curved walls 24 and 25 spaced apartto form a guide-way C which communicates with the aforesaid run-way 11leading from the various pockets of the table so as to convey the balls12 to a circular or other opening 26 formed in the aforesaid horizontalpartition 23 adjacent the side 13 of the casing B, there being aslightly inclined or beveled facing 27 on the bottom of the guideway Cto facilitate travel by gravitation of the balls 12 through the. sametoward said opening 26.

A vertical partition 28 is arranged in the front part of the casing Bslightly spaced from the side 13 of the casing and which is connected tothe aforesaid vertical partition 14 and to the partition 23 and shelf22, respectively, forming a passage-way D for the balls 12 which, inthis particular instance,

drop into the passage-way D from the guideway C through said opening 26.The passage-way D, while shown as arranged to per iit the balls to dropthereinto, may be arranged differently but, in the preferred form of myinvention, this passage-way is to be arranged as herein shown anddescribed.

Connected to the vertical partition 28 and the side 12 of the-casing Bare shelves 29, 30 and 31, each of which has its upper face slightlyinclined toward the side 12 of the casing and also slightly inclinedfrom its outer to its inner edge, having its end adjacent the side 12 ofthe casing concaved, as shown, with the concaved' portions of theshelves provided with circular or other openings 32, 33, and 34,respectively. The shelves 22, 29, 30 and 31 may be ctherwise formed anddisposed so long as provision is made to prevent the balls accidentallyrolling over the outer edges of the shelves, if

desired, and so long as provision is made to provide for a gravitatingmovement of the balls on the shelves from the passage way D toward theopenings in the shelves adjacent the side 12 of the casing. The spacesbetween these shelves 22, 29, 30 and 31 communicate with the aforesaidpassageway D through openings 28 in the partition 28.

A vertically sliding gate 35 is mounted in the guide-way C. The walls 24and 25 of the guide-way may be provided with slots 36 in which the gate35 may slide. This gate is designed to check the movement of the balls12 in the guide-way C as they enter the latter from the run-way 11 untilit is desired to permit the balls to pass through the opening 26 intothe passage-way D. This gate is held normally in closed position bymeans of a lever 38 pivoted at 39 in the casing B and to which said gate35 is con nected at 40, the lever 38 passing throu h a slot 41 in thewall 24 of the guide C and which extends at its outer end over theaforesaid opening 26 in the partition 23. The free end of this lever 38is enlarged, as indicated at 38, for the purpose of weighting the outerend of the lever to hold the same normally down and thereby maintain thegate 35 normally closed, thereby obviating the use of a spring or othersimilar element to maintain the gate normally closed and to insure thelever 38 assuming its normal downward position, although, if desired, aspring may be substituted for the weighted end 38.

To arrest movement of the balls 12 on the various shelves 22, 29, 30 and31, 1 provide a gate for each shelf. These gates are indicated at 42,43, 44 and 45 and are adapted to swing in the resceptive verticallydisposed alining slots 15, 16, 17 and 18, the inner ends of these gates42 to 45,inclusive, being pivoted at 46 in a suitable support 47confined withinthe casing and disposed in the rear of the aforesaidvertical partition 14. These gates have. their outer ends slidablymounted in slots 48, 49, 50 and 51, respec tively, of an operatingdevice, preferably in the form of a strip 52 slidably mounted in theupper and lower brackets 53 and 54, respectively, and which may beslidably manipulated in said brackets through the convenience of a knobor other suitable device 55 located preferably at the upper end of thestrip 52. By virtue of the slots 48 to 51, inclusive, in the strip 52,each of the gates 42 to 45, inclusive, may be operated singly by simplyshifting the respective gate on its pivot and thereby permitting theball or balls on a respective shelf to drop through the correspondingdischarge opening adjacent the side 12 of the casing. For instance, ifthe gate 42 be shifted in the slot 15 on its pivot 46, the balls 12 willbe permitted to run off of the shelf 29 and through the opening 32therein and drop through the openings 33 and 34 of the shelves 30 and31, respectively, onto the shelf 22 and finally pass out through theopening 56 in the side 12 of the casing into a suitable receptacle,which may be located adjacent said opening 56. A strip 56 may connectthe shelves 31 and 22 at the front between the side 12 and the strip 52to prevent accidental bouncing of the balls off the outer longitudinaledge of the shelf 22. It will, therefore, be clear that balls on theshelf 30 may be similarly released therefrom so that they may pass outthrough the opening 56 in the side 12 of the casing. If it be desired torelease all of the balls from all of the shelves, all of the gates maybe raised simultaneously by an upward movement of the strip 52, which,when released, will drop to normal position, thereby preventing theescape of balls from the shelves as will be understood.

' It is now understood how the balls are released from the variousshelves and it will be explained how the balls are diverted from thepassage-way D onto the respective shelves. To this end I provide meansfor releasing the balls from the guide-way C to permit them to enter thepassage D and simultaneously project means into the passage-way D todivert the balls from the passage-way selectively onto the shelvesaccording to which shelf it is desired to clivert the balls. This may beaccomplished by disposing in the rear of the vertical partition 14 andat a right angle thereto a vertical partition 57. Connected to the rearedge of the verticalpartition 57 and the adjacent side 13 of the casingare sets of guides each including upper and lower strips 58 and 59, thespace between the guide strips 58 and 59 of each guide being arranged inhorizontal alinement with the aforesaid horizontally disposed slots 19,20 and 21 in the vertical partition 14. These sets of guides are adaptedto slidably support the slides 60, 61 and 62 adapted for sliding.

movement in said sets of guides through the respective horizontallydisposed slots 19, 20 and 21 in the vertical partition 14 against thestrips 63, disposed to limit the outward movement of the slides and tocooperate therewith for the purpose of preventing the balls dropping onthe slides from accidentally leaving the casing. The outer ends of theseslides 60, 61 and 62 are preferably concaved as shown to facilitatediverting the balls onto the respective shelves with which the slidescoiiperate. Any suitable means may be provided for projecting theseslides 60, 61 and 62 across the passage-way D. In one embodiment of theinvention the slides are projected across the passage-way and retractedtherefrom through the instrumentality of a series of levers. In thisparticular embodiment of slide operating means, the levers are eachadapted to lift the lever 38 to release the balls from the guide-way Cand simultaneously to project a slide across the passage-way to releasethe ball in its movement through the passage-way and to divert the ballonto the shelf selected or desired to take the ball or balls as the casemay be.

Assuming that a player who has selected shelf 29 as his rack to receivethe balls made by him during the progress of the game and the player hasshot one ball into a pocket which has found its way into the guide-way Cand been arrested therein by the gate 35 and this particular playerdesires to rack the ball made by him, he will actuate the lever 63projecting through the front of the casing at the upper portion thereof.This lever 63 is pivoted on a shaft 64 secured in the partition 57 andthe side 13 of the casing B and has an extension 65 whose free end isloosely fitted in a slot 66 in the slide 60. The upward thrust of thelever 63 in its guide 63 causes it to engage the under side of theweighted part 38 of the lever 38 and lift the same. At the same time,the extension 65 of the lever 63 causes the forward movement of theslide 60, resulting in the slide 60 being projected across thepassageway I) into coiiperative relation with the respective strip 63.The gate 35 being carried by the lever 38 the upward movement of thelever causes the gate to be opened at the same time that the slide 60 isprojected across the passage-way D. The ball 12 in the guide-way C isthen permitted to pass through the opening 26 into the passageway D. Theball engaging the slide 60 is thereby diverted onto the shelf 29 androlls on the. latter until it engages the gate 42 or another ball inengagement with the gate 42, where it remains until it is desired totake. the balls off the shelf 29 over the side edge thereof, or permitthem to pass through the opening 32 in the shelf 29, in which event, it,or as many balls as were on the shelf 29, would pass through openings 33and 34 and out through the opening 56 in the side 12 of the casing.Assuming that the next player shooting has selected shelf 30 as his rackand assuming that he has shot one or more balls into the pockets of thetable and that the same has rolled to the guide-way C, the former playerhas released his hold on the lever 63 and the weighted end 38 of thelever 38 has caused it, the gate 35, and the slide 60 to assume normalpositions, the second player gives an upward thrust to the shortoperating lever 67 in its guide 67. The lever 67 is pivoted on the shaft68 supported by the partition 57 and the side 13 of the casing. Thisoperating lever 67 has an extension 69 which &

passes through a slot in the slide 60 and engages in a slot 71 in theslide 61. The upward thrust of the operating lever 67 causes the slide61 to be projected across the passage-way D in the same manner asdescribed with relation to the slide 60, and at he same time the lever38 and the gate 35 are raised, as in the manner before described. Theball or balls then entering the passage-way D through the opening 26 arediverted by the slide 61 onto the shelf 30 in the same manner asdescribed in connection with the balls being diverted onto the shelf 29.The third player, or any other player who may select shelf 31, when hehas shot a ball or balls into pocket or pockets of the table A and whenhe desires to rack them on the shelf 31, gives an upward thrust to theshort operating lever 7 2 in its guide 72. The lever 72 is pivoted on ashaft 73 mounted in the partition 57 in the side 13 of the casing B.This operating lever 72 has an extension 74 which passes through a slot7 5 in the shelf 60 and through a slot T6 in the shelf 61 and engages ina short slot 75 in the shelf 62. The upward thrust of the lever 72 inthe manner stated causes the projection of the slide 62 across thepassage-way D and a simultaneous upward movement of the lever 38 and anupward movement of the guide 35, permitting he ball to enter thepassage-way D and be arrested therein by the slide 62 and diverted. ontothe shelf 31 as should now be well understood.

In the event that it be desired to release the balls from the guide-wayC and permit them to pass entirely through the passageway D onto theshelf 22, it is simply necessaray to manipulate the lever 77 by givingit an upward thrust in its guide 77. The lever 77 is pivotally mountedon the aforesaid shaft 68. This lever 77 has not an extension and is notconnected to any slide. It is formed and arranged so that an upwardthrust thereon will lift the weighted end 38 of the lever 38 and therebylift the gate This actuation permits the ball or balls in the guide-wayC to pass entirely through the guide-way D and roll down the shelf 22toward the opening 56. The balls diverted onto the shelf 22 may bearrested by the gate 45. By opening the gate 45, either by manipulatingit in the slot 51 or by actuation of the strip 52, the ball or balls onthe shelf 22 may pass out through the opening 56 in the side 12 of thecasing. All of the balls at the same time may be permitted to roll oilthe respective shelves and pass through the respective openings and outthrough the opening 56in the side 12 of the casing, either by separatemanipulation of the gates 42, 43, 4:4 and 4:5, or by a simultaneousmanipulation thereof through an upward movement of the strip 52.

The contrivance illustrated is but one embodiment of my invention. It isnot my intention to limit myself to the number of shelves employed forthe racking of the balls of the various players. The shelf 22 isdesigned to perform all of the functions of the shelves 29, 30 and 31.In other words, the shelf 22 is not designed solely to provide a meanswhereby a ball may be passed entirely through the contrivance. Any ballmay be readily removed from any of the racks and, as stated, shelf 22 isintended to be used in the same manner as any of the other shelves, and,in the use of a device constructed in accordance with the presentdrawings, this shelf 22 would be used by a fourth player, the same asthe other players would use the shelves thereabove. ()bviously, anynumber of shelves may be emuloyed and in the employment of more tl anfour shelves there would be employed the necessary additional number oflevers, slides and other actuating parts to divert balls from thepassage-way onto the respective shelves according to the num ber ofshelves employed in the contrivance. To these ends I have worded theappended claims accordingly and they are to be construed with thethought in mind that I am not limiting myself either to the number ofshelves or the number of levers for di vertii'lg balls from thepassage-way onto the respective shelves and that, while I may direct aball or balls entirely through the contrivance, this is only an inc dentto my invention and not necessarily essential thereto. 7

From the foregoing it will be seen that I provide a simple, inexpensive,durable and eliicient appliance which may be easily and readily actuatedto effectively rack the balls selectively on various shelves and thatthe actuating parts return automatically to normal positions afteractuation and are released by the manipulator. apparent that the ballsmay be easily and quickly unracked or discharged from my improvedappliance into a container (not shown) disposed to receive the ballsfrom the appliance when discharged therefrom. While the passage-way Dmay be considered in the light of a chute or a ball-drop, I haveintentionally termed it a passageway, with the understanding that it isnot my intention to limit myself to the exact structure disclosed forthat I contemplate making changes in the structure disclosed in so faras I may be permitted to do so under the terms and scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is 1. A pocket billiard or pool rack comprising a casinghaving a ball passage-way therein, spaced shelves in the casing havingcommunication with said passage-way, the

It will also be casing having a discharge opening therein adjacent thelowermost shelf, each shelf having a discharge opening therein, meanswhereby the balls may be delivered to said passage-way andsimultaneously directed onto the shelves selectively, a gate arranged inadvance of each of the discharge openings of the shelves, and meanswhereby the gates may be operated to permit the passage of the ballsthrough the discharge openings of the shelves and out of the dischargeopening in the side of the casing.

2. A pocket billiard or pool rack comprising a casing having a ballpassageway therein, spaced horizontally disposed shelves in the casinghaving communication at one of their ends with said passageway, thecasing having a discharge opening in one side thereof adjacent thelowermost shelf, each shelf having a discharge opening therein at oneend thereof, means whereby balls may be simultaneously delivered to saidpassage-way and directed onto the shelves selectively, and means wherebythe balls may be arrested in movement on the shelves to preventdischarge thereof from the shelves through the discharge openings of theshelves.

3. A pocket billiard or pool rack comprising a casing having a ballpassageway therein, spaced horizontally disposed shelves in the casinghaving communication at one of their ends with said passageway, thecasing having a discharge opening in one sidethereof adjacent thelowermost shelf, each shelf having a discharge opening therein at oneend thereof, means whereby balls may be simultaneously delivered to saidpassage-way and directed onto the shelves selectively, means whereby theballs may be arrested in movement on the shelves to prevent dischargethereof from the shelves through the discharge openings of the shelves,and means whereby the latter means may be operated separately withrelation to each shelf or simultaneously with relation to all of theshelves.

4:. An appliance of the character described comprising a casing having avertically disposed ball passage-way therein, spaced horizontallydisposed shelves in the casing having communication with saidpassageway, the casing having a discharge opening in one side thereofadjacent the lowermost shelf, each shelf having a discharge openingtherein at one end, means whereby the balls may be delivered to saidpassage-way and diverted onto the shelves selectively, a gate arrangedadjacent the discharge opening of each shelf to arrest movement of theballs on the respective shelves, said gates being operable independentlyone of another, and means whereby all of said gates may be operatedsimultaneously so that the balls may be-discharged through the dischargeopenings of the latter and out through the discharge opening in the sideof the. casing.

5 An appliance of the character described comprising a casing having aball passage-way therein, a shelf in the casing having communicationwith said passageway, the casing having a discharge opening therein, aguide-way leading to and communicating with said passage-way, a gate forsaid guide-way, means to operate the gate to permit the passage of aball from the guide-way into the passage-way and onto said shelf and outthrough the discharge opening in the casing.

6. An appliance of the character described comprising a casing having aball passage-way therein, a shelf in the casing having communicationwith said passageway the casing having a discharge opening therein, aguide-way leading to and communicating with said passage-way, a gate forsaid guide-way, means to operate the gate to permit the passage of aball from the guide-way into the passage-way and onto said shelf, a gatedisposed adjacent the discharge opening in the casing to arrest movementof the ball on said shelf, said gate being operable to permit passage ofthe ball off of the shelf out through the discharge opening in the sideof the casing.

7. A rack of the character described comprising a casing having a ballpassage-way therein, a guide-way having communication with saidpassage-way, a lever pivoted in the casing, a gate connected to thelever and normally closing said guide-way, the free end of the leverbeing weighted to normally move normally maintain the gate in closedposition with relation to the guide-way, a plurality of spaced shelvesin the casing having communication with said passage-way, each shelfhaving a discharge passage therein, the casing having a dischargeopening therein adjacent the lower-most shelf, a plurality of slidesslidably mounted in the casing in substantially horizontal alinementwith the shelves for projection into and out of the passage-way, andmeans whereby the lever and gate may be lifted and one of the shelvesprojected into said passage-way whereby the balls may enter thepassage-way from the guideway and be diverted onto one of said shelves,means for temporarily arresting movement of the balls on such shelf, andmeans whereby said arresting means may be manipulated to permitdischarge of the balls through the openings of the shelves and outthrough the discharge opening in the casing. V

8. An appliance of the character described, comprising a casing, avertical partition in the casing adjacent one side thereof and spacedslightly therefrom to form downward and thereby a vertical passage-way,a horizontal partition in the upper portion of the casing having anopening leading into said passageway, a guide-way on said horizontalpartition, a gate slidable vertically in the guide-way, a lever pivotedin the casing and connected to said gate, the free end of the leverbeing enlarged and lying over the opening in said horizontal partition,the enlarged end of the lever weighting the free end of the latter tomaintain the gate of the guide-way normally in closed position, aplurality of spaced shelves mounted in the casing, the aforesaidvertical partition having openings therein to establish communicationbetween the shelves and said passage-way, the casing having a dischargeopening in one side adjacent the lower-most shelf, a plurality of slidesmounted to be projected into and withdrawn from said passage-wayopposite the shelves, each shelf having a discharge opening therein, aplurality of members pivoted in the casing to form gates to prevent thepassage of balls off the shelves through the discharge openings thereof,means constructed and arranged to operate said slidable gate and toproject one of said slides into said passage-way so as to permit thedelivery of a ball from the guide-way intosaid passa e-way and to divertsaid ball onto the shelf opposite that into alinement with which saidslide has been projected, and means whereby the pivoted member whichcooperates with the shelf on which said ball has been placed may beoperated to permit discharge of the ball off such shelf through thedischarge openings in the shelves and out of the opening in the side ofthe casing.

9. An appliance of the character described, comprising a casing having apassage-way therein, spaced shelves in the easing, the spaces betweenwhich communicate with said passage-way, the casing having a dischargeopening therein adjacent the lower-most shelf, each shelf having adischarge opening therein, and means where by a ball may be delivered tosaid passageway and permitted to pass entirely therethrough onto thelower-most shelf, and means whereby a ball may be delivered from theguide-way into said passage-way and diverted onto the shelvesselectively.

10. An appliance of the character described, comprising a casing havinga passage-way therein, spaced shelves in the casing, the spaces betweenwhich communicate with said passage-way, the casing having a dischargeopening therein adjacent the lower-most shelf, eachlshelf having adischarge opening therein, means whereby a ball may be delivered to saidpassage-way and permitted to pass entirely there through onto thelower-most shelf. means whereby a ball may be delivered from theguide-way into said passage-way and diverted onto the shelvesselectively, means for temporarily arresting movement of the balls onthe shelves, and means whereby the arresting means may be manipulated topermit of discharge of balls from the shelves through the dischargeopenings thereof.

11. An appliance of the character described, comprising a casing havinga passage-way therein, spaced shelves in the cas ing, the spaces betweenwhich communicate with said passage-way, the casing having a dischargeopening therein adjacent the lower-most shelf, each shelf having adischarge opening therein, means whereby a ball may be delivered to saidpassage-way and permitted to pass entirely therethrough onto thelowermost shelf, means whereby a ball may be deliverd from the guide-wayinto said passage-way and diverted onto the shelves selectively, meansfor temporarily arresting movement of the balls on the shelves, andmeans whereby the arresting means may be manipulated to permit ofdischarge of balls from the shelves through the discharge openingsthereof or whereby the balls may be discharged from any one of theshelves independently of discharge of balls from any other of theshelves.

12. An appliance of the character described, comprising a casing havinga ball passage-Way therein, a guide-way in the casing havingcommunication with said passage-way, a gate normally holding the ballsin the guide-way, a lever pivoted in the casing and to which said gateis connected, the casing having a discharge opening, and means forengagement with the lever to lift the same and thereby lift said gate topermit the passage of the balls from the guideway into the passage-way.

13. An appliance of the character de scribed, comprising a casing havinga ball passage-way therein, a guide-way in the casing havingcommunication with said passage-way, a gate normally holding the ballsin the guide-way, a lever pivoted in the easing and to which said gateis connected, the casing having a discharge opening, means forengagement with the lever to lift the same and thereby lift said gate topermit the passage of the balls from the guide-way into the passage-Way,and means to temporarily prevent discharge of the balls through thedischarge opening of the casing.

14:. An appliance of the character described comprising a casing havinga ball passage-way therein, a guide-way in the casing which hascommunication with the passage-way, a lever pivotally mounted in thecasing and having its free end enlarged to weight the same so as tomaintain the lever normally in its lowered position, a gate slidable inthe guide-way and having communication with said lever and means forlifting the lever and the gate to permit the passage of the balls fromthe guide-way into the passage-way, the casing having a ball dischargeopening.

15. An appliance of the character described comprising a casing having aball passage-way therein, a guide-way in the casing which hascommunication with the passage-way, a lever pivotally mounted in thecasing and having its free end enlarged to weight the same so astomaintain the lever normally in its lowered position, a gate slidablein the guide-way and having communication with said lever, means forlifting the lever and the gate to permit the passage of the balls fromthe guide-way into the pas-- sage-way, the casing having a balldischarge opening, and a gate operable to arrest movement of the ballsin the casing after their discharge from the guide-way and which may beoperated to permit discharge of the balls through said discharge openin16. An appliance of the character described comprising a casing having aball passage-way therein, a guide-way in the casing having communicationwith said passage-way, a gate normally holding the balls in thepassage-way, a shelf in the casing having communication with thepassage-way, a

slide adapted to be projected across said passage-way to direct ballsfrom the passageway onto the shelf, means for operating said slide, andmeans for operating said gate to permit the passage of balls from theguideway into the passage-Way.

17. An appliance of the character described comprising a casing having aball passage-way therein, a guide-way in the easing having communicationwith said passage-way, means normally holding the balls in thepassage-way, a plurality of shelves having communication with saidpassageway, a plurality of slides adapted to be projected across thepassage-way to direct balls onto the respective shelves, means foroperating said slides separately to direct balls from the passage-Wayonto the respective shelves, and means to operate said holding means inthe guide-Way to permit balls to pass from the guide-way intothe-passageway.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

A. FAYEL WHEELER.

Witnesses:

Jim. 0. ALLAN, 7. S. S. SAXToN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

